Koralmbahn near Graz

Swiss equip Styrians for operations in the tunnel

ÖBB pays for the training and equipment of the fire departments.

(Bild: Josef Tschematschar (LFV Salzburg))

There will soon be two trained portal fire departments for the Koralmbahn airport tunnel in the area around Graz. With the right equipment and training, they should be able to save lives in an emergency. Why the firefighters have to travel to Switzerland for this - and what they learn there.

The figures are impressive: if there is a fire in a passenger train in a tunnel, 24 fire departments with 38 vehicles, 205 firefighters and a total of 97 breathing apparatus wearers are required. Exactly this scenario must also be played out for the Koralm Railway, which is due to be completed by the end of 2025.

The associated airport tunnel in the south of Graz will in future be the operational area of several so-called portal fire departments. In an emergency, the Feldkirchen fire department will be able to enter the tunnel to the north and the Kalsdorf fire department to the south.

The firefighters in Erzberg have already completed training.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

"We are a lowland fire department, rails are a completely new operational area for us," says Oliver Süss, press officer for the Kalsdorf fire brigade. Previously, the Florianis only had basic training for road tunnels - "now all 24 breathing apparatus wearers are receiving special training". Süss himself will soon be one of those professionals.

Training at the highest international level
The training location is curious: "We travel to Switzerland at the end of November and beginning of December," says Süss, "the training at the Erzberg Tunnel Research Center is amazing, but there are simply more railroad tunnels in Switzerland."

Oliver Süss practices for emergencies at the Erzberg Tunnel Research Center.

(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Kalsdorf)

He is referring to the "International Fire Academy" in Balsthal - it is regarded as "Europe's leading fire academy for education and training in underground transportation facilities". In a two-day training course, Süss and his colleagues learn how to rescue people in the event of a fire and how to extinguish the fire at the same time. This is because evacuation is much more difficult than in a road tunnel and takes place via special airlocks. "We wear a long-term SCBA with twice the operating time for this," explains the Floriani.

This breathing apparatus is part of a comprehensive range of special equipment provided by ÖBB for these special fire department operations. Each individual item has to withstand enormous heat. It also includes its own small equipment vehicle. This vehicle is already in Kalsdorf - equipped with thermal imaging cameras, marker lights and the like.